Quarantine and COVID-19 rules when entering the United States

Image source: CBP Photo by Glenn Fawcett

Due to the corona crisis, we receive questions about the current U.S. travel restrictions as well as about the quarantine and COVID-19 regulations that apply upon entry and within the United States. We therefore provide general information regarding quarantine in the U.S. and also refer to the current COVID-19 / quarantine regulations of all U.S. states.

• General information on quarantine and U.S. entry

• Requirements of the Corona test

• Requirements of the recovery evidence

• Hygiene and distance rules

• On-site quarantine and COVID-19 rules depending on the U.S. state

• Regulations upon entry into the U.S.

• Regulations within the U.S.

• Quarantine and COVID-19 rules when leaving the country

General information on quarantine and U.S. entry

With the fall of the Travel Ban, travel to the U.S. can once again take place since November 8, 2021, albeit under strict hygiene guidelines.

The new regulation largely lifts the regulations for foreign travelers from certain countries that had been established until then and instead introduces a uniform global regulation.

The U.S. government requires air travelers worldwide to present either a

1. negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or PCR),
   or
2. certification that they have previously experienced COVID-19 and have recovered.

Note: U.S. citizens, holders of a Green Card, a visa, or ESTA authorization, as well as fully vaccinated individuals, also require a corresponding certificate.

Only airline crewmembers (C-1/D visas), certain U.S. government personnel, military personnel, and travelers under two years of age are exempt from the testing requirement.

The basis for these additional measures is the global airline testing order "Requirement for negative pre-departure COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 for all airline or other aircraft passengers arriving into the United States from any foreign country." The order applies to direct and connecting flights to the U.S. by travelers who are two years of age or older and imposes specific requirements regarding the COVID-19 test or confirmation letter.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THE NEGATIVE CORONA TEST

• The test must be a viral test (antigen or PCR test).
• The maximum allowed time for the test depends on the vaccination status of the person traveling:
  Fully vaccinated against Corona: max. 3 days before departure.
  Unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated persons: max. 1 day before departure (unvaccinated children aged 2-17 years need a test certificate not older than 1 day if traveling without parents or with at least one unvaccinated parent. For travel with fully vaccinated parents, a test no older than 3 days is sufficient).
• The negative test may be in written form or electronically and must contain details of the testing site performing the test (physician, testing center, laboratory).
• The master data in the test result must match the traveler's data (e. g., name, date of birth) and include the following wording:
  "NEGATIVE," "SARS-CoV-2 RNA NOT DETECTED," "SARS-CoV-2 ANTIGEN NOT DETECTED," or "COVID-19 NOT DETECTED."

REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD COVID-19

Individuals who have previously had COVID-19 must provide evidence of their recovery.

• The test at that time must have been viral.
• The positive test result must be no more than 90 days old and must include the following wording:
  "POSITIVE," "SARS-COV-2 RNA DETECTED," "SARS-CoV-2 ANTIGEN DETECTED," or "COVID-19 DETECTED."
• A written confirmation from a physician is also required, which has been prepared on official header sheet of the physician / hospital with all master data of the issuer (e.g., name, address, telephone number), whereby the master data of the traveler must match the information on the letter.
  
  It is expected that if at least one requirement is not met (e.g., test result older than 90 days), a negative test must be submitted.

Anyone entering the United States under these requirements after January 26, 2021, will receive an attestation from the airlines, which must be signed.

Note: While individuals recovered from Corona in several European countries (including Germany) receive only a single dose of vaccine after infection and are considered fully vaccinated with only one dose of vaccine, this practice is not recognized by CDC. According to CDC, two doses of a two-dose vaccination series or one dose of a single-dose vaccination are mandatory. As a result, affected individuals cannot travel unless they qualify for another exemption.

Hygiene and distance rules for air travel

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, stricter entry controls and quarantine requirements have applied and continue to apply.

Although the entry procedure may vary depending on the U.S. state or port of entry, general hygiene and distance rules (face mask requirement, certain distance away from other people, regular hand washing, etc.) apply:

Departure / flight:

• disinfection of hands
• document control
  complete vaccination certificate or certificate of exemption
  negative COVID-19 test or certificate of recovery from COVID-19 disease
  NOTE: We strongly recommend all travelers to check in advance with the respective airline which application documentation is exactly required to avoid problems at check-in.
• fill in the U.S. traveler health declaration (corona form)

Entry:

• partly medical examination / temperature check and corresponding entry in the corona form
• If you do not show any symptoms of coronavirus: presentation of a negative corona test and (depending on the state) a 14-day domestic quarantine according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  NOTE: In some cases the 14-day quarantine is "only" recommended.
• If clear corona symptoms are evident: You will be subject to immediate quarantine and, if necessary, receive further treatment in special hospitals.
• presentation of the corona form
• additional interviews by CBP officers, if necessary

Note: The U.S. quarantine regulations depend on the current corona case numbers and are therefore subject to constant changes. In addition, the regulations vary greatly depending on the U.S. state through which you enter the United States.

On-site quarantine and COVID-19 rules depending on the U.S. state

Quarantine regulations upon entry into the U.S.

On-site quarantine regulations and sanitation measures – i.e., after entry into the U.S. has occurred – will vary based on the vaccination status of individuals traveling beginning November 8, 2021:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is subject to almost constant fluctuations, quarantine rules and regulations in the 50 states are constantly being adapted.

Who needs to be quarantined?

Quarantine regulations within the U.S.

The quarantine and COVID-19 regulations within the U.S. are very different, which makes it difficult for U.S. travelers to always stay informed. While there are strict quarantine regulations in some U.S. states (Alaska, Hawaii, etc.), there are hardly any regulations in other regions of the United States. Companies and their employees must therefore make sure they are aware of the current regulations in the U.S. state through which the employees wish to enter the country.

In this context, it is important to note that more and more states are requiring either a home quarantine or a negative COVID-19 test not older than three days, even for travel within the United States. This means that you may need to take into account regulations of several states when planning your travel route in the United States.

Visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website for information about COVID-19 testing sites.

In the following we refer in detail to the official COVID-19 safety information of the individual U.S. states. This list is in alphabetical order.

For more information about current quarantine regulations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Please note that the final decision on to the eligibility of each individual to enter the United States is made by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the border.

Quarantine and COVID-19 rules when leaving the country

Depending on the requirements of the destination country, a new Corona test may also be required when leaving the United States.

The reason for this is that strict entry regulations apply to individuals traveling (back) to Germany, for instance, from a high risk area such as the United States.

In any case, please contact the respective local authorities for information on the currently applicable regulations.

Updated on 8.11.2021